Second Chances
by WritingWild
Summary: Sephira Burke is not a conventional Pokémon trainer. She's vulgar, she's rude, and frankly, she's a recluse who would do anything to avoid a social interaction. Naturally, she's the perfect candidate to save the world. Along with her partner, a sassy Blaziken named Hotshot, and a former Team Rocket traitor named Scott, the new allies must work together to stop the evil Team Rocket
1. On The Road

"Damn it," I muttered indignantly as my Blaziken's Flamethrower attack send the wild Raticate toppling backwards, crashing into the base of an enormous oak tree. The fuzzy brown buck-tooth seemed to take the hint, as it turned a fleshy pink tail to us and took off. I wasn't sure whether I should be pissed because I wanted to catch that or proud of how powerful my partner had become. Sighing, I shouldered my leather bag and started hiking down the grassy lane that led out of the lush forest. "That was a strong one, too. Oh well. C'mon, Hotshot."

"Blaziken," he replied softly, in his familiar rasp, as he stepped over a large hunk of glittering limestone resting in his path.

We began a trek through the bright woods, while the sunbeams were broken up into strips by the foliage of the trees above us. I was put at ease by the comfortable silence, obstructed only by the occasional cry of a lone Pidgey. The lack of people and abundance of Pokémon made the forest perfect for me. However, barely a peaceful moment passed before a little yellow and blue shape hurled itself out of the tall grass at me. I halted in place, hands perched on my hips, knowing full well what was coming.

"They call me Youngster Joey-" that was an unfortunate name. "-And I challenge you to a Pokémon battle," the pipsqueak with the scruffy brown hair puffed his chest outwards as if he were really threatening anyone.

Air rushed out of my mouth until there was no oxygen left in my lungs. I closed my eyes and tried to keep walking. "You don't want to do that, kiddo."

"You met my eye! That means we have to fight!" he declared. His voice was full of genuine youthful eagerness, and if I'd been anyone else, I might even have found it endearing. But as it stood, I was me. And I didn't.

"Fine."

He grinned with determination glinting in his eyes. He reached to his belt to retrieve the single Pokéball strapped there, releasing a tiny Rattata onto the field. The miniscule purple rat cried out its own name and dropped into a defensive stance, rear slightly raised and front paws spread to take any blow. I exhaled deeply, pointing to the patch of vibrant green grass in front of me that would serve as a battlefield. Hotshot obediently marched to stand in front of me.

"Alright, let's get this over with," I told my partner. "Sky Uppercut."

"Blaze," Hotshot cocked his head in a very bird-like manner to give me a sideways glance. The blue-eyed stare caused me to bite my lip. Hotshot was not stupid. But I could see his hesitation just as clearly as he could see my annoyance. He knew how it would end if he carried out my command. "Blaziken."

"Just do it," I snapped, averting my eyes. "I don't want to stand around and babysit the runt here any longer than I need to."

Hotshot gave me a subtle gesture that I could almost compare to a shrug before turning to attack the Rattata, which had just been headbutting him in the leg in a pathetic attempt at a Tackle attack. He grabbed it in his claws and pounced into the air. He punched the poor Normal type so hard that it created a crater in the dirt when it landed. And just like that. It was over.

The boy ran over to his Pokémon and picked it up, cradling it in his arms. "How could you do that?" he cried at me. I knew he wasn't referring to fainting his Pokémon, since that was supposed to happen in a battle, but that he meant my doing it in such a brutal way. "You make Rattata better right now, or I'll-"

I cut him off, finished with this conversation as well as this battle. "You'll do what? Challenge me again? Forgive me for not quaking in my boots."

His big dark eyes were glistening with tears, and I knew I should have felt bad, but I felt nothing. No anger, no remorse, no guilt. I only watched him with a level gaze as he held his Pokémon against him, sobbing. He made a valiant effort to hide it, but the shuddering of his breaths made it too obvious.

"I'll tell my mom on you!" he shouted.

I knew it was cruel, but I couldn't stop myself from laughing. And I laughed. I laughed long and hard, until my eyes began to water. The absurd hilarity of the moment sent me doubling over. I straightened up, and stared the kid dead in the eye. I was being an asshole. I knew that. But in my defense, I warned this kid not to battle me.

"Go right ahead, pipsqueak. Blaziken and I won't take it so easy on you next time," I turned and began to saunter away, Hotshot at my heels.

"You're no Pokémon trainer! Trainers are heroes and they protect people! You're just a bully!" he shouted at my back, giving me pause.

I smirked over my shoulder at him. "Oh, you wound me so. Your approval means diddly squat to me, kiddo. You won't ever advance as a trainer if you continue to blindly challenge people leagues above you, just saying."

Before he could respond, I took my leave. My Blaziken walked behind me, the wet grass sloshing beneath our feet. I knew my Pokémon well enough to know he was uneasy about what just happened. I supposed I should have been as well. Without thinking too much on it, I started to take the path to Mt. Moon. I knew something interesting would be happening there. Let's just say I could feel it.


	2. Mt Moon

Mount Moon was exactly the same as it had been described to me. Dark and damp. It was exactly as my Kanto guidebook had said it would be. My sister and I had always dreamed of searching the caves for hidden paths and rare Pokémon. Granted there had been caves in Hoenn too, but I'd explored them all for secret chambers time and again and found them all, at least to my knowledge.

A smile threatened at my lips when I thought of Malia and our days in Hoenn. It just as quickly dissipated into nothing recalling our roots in Sinnoh. A region I vowed never to return to. A place I often wished I could forget.

Hotshot sensed my hesitation, and he lightly butted his head into my back between my shoulder blades. I put a hand on his nose between his sharp blue eyes to thank him for the gesture, then donned my typical detached expression and ventured into the darkness. Though it smelled odd, the temperature fell drastically as we crossed the threshold. I was a fan of the cold, but Hotshot gave a chitter of complaint. I'd offered him his Pokéball, but he had, as usual, declined. I wouldn't force him. I preferred him being with me anyway.

In the blackness, I could see shifting silhouettes. Some belonged to Zubat, their wings fluttering rapidly. Others belonged to Onix, burrowing in and out of the dirt as they pleased. The massive rock serpent growled softly, but the sound was enough to send the earth aquiver. A select few of the shadows, however, were the property of trainers, waiting in the blackness to challenge passersby.

Some of them were distinctly feminine beauties, while others seemed to be far more masculine hikers. But as we carefully trekked deeper into the caverns, avoiding every possibly battle, I noted some of the trainers wore thick black suits that kept them hidden in the dark. The only thing that stood out from the dripping rock of the cavern wall behind them was the crimson "R" imprinted on their chests. They wore caps pulled down to cover their brows, and tall black boots to tuck in their pants legs. Uniforms designed for all terrain.

I did my level best to duck all of their gazes and slip through the shadows. I'd heard of these fuckwits. Team Rocket was a ragtag group of Pokémon thieves. I almost longed to let them try and take Hotshot from me. Their asses would get burned off quicker than they could start screaming. The thought created a smirk on my face.

"What are you smiling about?" a voice spoke, and it couldn't have been an inch away from my ear. Hot breath drifted over my neck.

"I don't know how you can see me smiling in this exquisite lighting," I said back. My voice was low, threatening, and I wasn't going to fight unless the guy talking to me pressed on. Which of course he did because he was an idiot.

"Oh, but a smile bright as that? How could I miss it?" he didn't back away, so I used my hand to shove his left shoulder and send him staggering back. Though I couldn't see his face, I heard rubber skidding on rock, and his gloved hand clap against the wall of the cavern. I snickered at the sound of his struggle.

"If you'll excuse me," I clutched my bag closer and laid my free hand on the Pokéballs at my belt to protect them.

"Now, wait just a minute," the boy challenged, and his voice indicated he wasn't much older than me, if at all. He easily slipped in front of me, acting as a blockade to obscure my path. The light at the end of the tunnel disappeared behind him. "That's a nice Blaziken you have there. How about a Pokémon battle? You win, you keep him. I win, you don't."

"How about fuck off," I snapped. "Hotshot would kick your ass if you even tried to touch him, so I don't recommend trying that."

"Are you afraid of the big bad Rocket?"

"No, I'm afraid of blood. And there's going to be a lot of it if you don't get out of my way," I wasn't actually afraid of blood. But I still raised my chin, proud of my own quip.

"Houndoom, you're up!" he said suddenly, backing up just enough to release a fire-dark type Pokémon onto the field. I'd never battled one before, and naturally I was intrigued. I decided to humor the Rocket grunt and have a battle in the dark. Which meant there was only one member of my team I could logically use.

"Mightyena!" I pulled my Pokémon's ball from its place secured to my hip and gave it a gentle toss. In a flash of red, my dark type landed in a defensive stance in front of me, red eyes flaring and fangs bared to bite. I gave the Pokémon a careful pat on the head. He could see in the dark. I couldn't. I was going to have to trust him on this.

Through the dark, I could see the gleaming silver flash of the ridges on Houndoom's back and its dangerously curved horns. The cuffs around its feet also caught the dim light pouring in distantly from behind its trainer. The Houndoom snarled, and my Mightyena returned the noise, which resounded through the caves.

"Houndoom, use Flamethrower," the Rocket grunt commanded. Though I couldn't see, I felt what Mightyena was feeling through years of training and practice. And I knew what we had to do. I only assumed our enemy was doing the same.

"Mightyena, Dig, now!" I said just as the flames from the opponent's attack blazed over my head, emitting both an eerie orange glow and a searing heat. Mightyena barked and burrowed under the ground. An instant of silence passed before he burst from the earth, kicking dirt and mud into the air as he did so. Mightyena was not a Pokémon who traditionally learned Dig, so it had taken me months to teach him the technique.

The Houndoom yelped as its trainer called for it to dodge, but too late. Mightyena sent the fire type sprawling. Houndoom was on its feet in a moment and charging my Pokémon with a glint in its dark eyes. I went tense, and Mightyena mirrored me.

"Houndoom, Thunder Fang!" the Rocket tried again.

His strategy seemed to be pure offense. Which was perfect, since I tended to go for secondary offense myself. Wait to see what the other player does, then counter it. Thus far, it had worked out well for me.

"Mightyena!" I said, too late, as the attack flashed in the darkness, rivets of electricity illuminating the battlefield long enough for me to see Mightyena go down. My Pokémon was just as quick to get up, but I didn't miss his slight limp.

"End it," I growled, enraged now that Mightyena had been hurt. "Use Play Rough."

"Mighty!" he roared. He pounced forward and knocked the Houndoom to the ground, finishing the fight as ordered.

I sneered at the Rocket's shadow when we returned our Pokémon. "Fair fight, I won. Now get out of my way so I can forget I ever had to speak to you."

I stormed past him, shoving my way between him and the wall of the narrow passage. I heard him grunt in pain, but I didn't care. Hotshot made a sound that could only be compared to a chuckle as the two of us made our way toward the light indicating the end of Mount Moon and the entrance to Lavender Town. Kanto was so simple to navigate, at least compared to Hoenn and Kalos, the only two regions I'd been to. Except Sinnoh, of course.

"Wait!" the Rocket grunt called to me.

I felt a hand clamp around my shoulder, attempting to drag me backwards. When instinct kicked it, I yanked my arm out of the grasp of the hand and spun on heel, sending a right hook behind me, right into the jaw of the Team Rocket grunt I'd just battled.


End file.
